Proactive Measures to Prevent Major Wildfires in Winter and Spring... 15 Billion Won in Special Grants for 16 Cities and Provinces

Funding up 5 billion won from last year... expanding wildfire surveillance cameras and replacing aging fire engines

With the dry seasons of winter and spring approaching, 15 billion won in special disaster and safety grants will be urgently provided to local governments nationwide to reduce wildfire risks and strengthen their capacity to contain fires in their early stages.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will provide 15 billion won in Special Grants for Disaster and Safety Management (disaster and safety special grants) to 16 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide for wildfire prevention and response.

The funding was approved to help local governments reinforce monitoring systems and prepare facilities and equipment in advance so they can effectively contain wildfires from the early stages, ahead of the period when fires are most frequent.

The decision reflects the increased risk of wildfires due to rising temperatures caused by climate change, as well as the high likelihood that fires could spread into large-scale wildfires when dry weather coincides with strong winds. Accordingly, the ministry increased the funding to 15 billion won, up 5 billion won from last year’s 10 billion won.

The special grants will be used to install wildfire surveillance cameras, upgrade firefighting equipment, replace aging fire engines, and fund public awareness campaigns on prevention.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung said, "A single spark can lead to major loss of life, so proactive and thorough preparations are needed before wildfire season begins. I urge local governments to use this funding to strengthen surveillance in vulnerable areas and focus on building their capacity to respond on the ground."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.